Mario Tama
QUESTION: I am in a dispute with my dealer. I took my car in because of a noise in the transmission, thinking the problem would be covered by warranty because there is still a year and 23,000 kilometres left on it.
The dealer said any repairs would not be covered by warranty because my car had been driven under extreme conditions.
That's ridiculous. I use my car for commuting back and forth to work, only a five-kilometre trip each way, for shopping in the nearby town and on occasion, for weekend trips to my summer place.
I have never gone fast or done anything "extreme" with the car. How can they say that?
Maryanne
ANSWER: Actually, they may be right.
This is one of the most misunderstood areas related to vehicle operation and ownership - and disputes between dealers and customers.
The 57-million-member American Automobile Association recently released a study indicating that 62 per cent of motorists operate their vehicles under one or more severe service conditions - but only 6 per cent think they do.
Obviously the AAA, myself and manufacturers recommend you follow the maintenance schedule recommended in the owner's manual. But here is the catch - you have to read it!
You will find there are two different schedules, one for normal service and one for severe service.
Many owners, even those rare ones who read the manual, see the words "severe service" and skip right over them. Therein lies the problem.
While each manufacturer has its own definition of severe service, most will include:
- Speeds below 70 kilometres an hour for long distances;
- Hot-weather; stop-and-go heavy traffic;
- Trips of less than five minutes in normal temperatures and 10 minutes in winter;
- Driving on surfaces that are dusty or covered in salt or gravel;
- Any amount of towing anything;
- Carrying anything on a roof rack or carrier.
Many of the above contribute to increased wear on components and fluids. Others do not allow time for the engine oil to become hot enough to allow corrosive and harmful gases to be burned off, allowing them to remain lodged in the oil and/or filter.
For these reasons, maintenance schedules for "severe" operation commonly call for changing fluids and filters more frequently.
Insurance coverage
QUESTION: My car was recently broken into; the stereo was ripped from the dash and a number of articles that had been in the glove box and on the back seat were stolen.
I was surprised to learn that my insurance policy covered some of it and not the rest. I think it would be a good idea to inform your readers that they should check this out. - Malcolm
ANSWER: Consider it done. I know people who have discovered, much to their chagrin and cost, the same thing.
A neighbour had a laptop stolen from his car while at a nearby mall; a friend, after a prolonged argument with the local municipal government and her insurance company, found she had to pay for the damage to her suspension caused by a monstrous pothole.
Most people think their auto policy covers everything, or perhaps more accurately, most people don't bother to ask what is covered.
A recent survey by Allstate, one of the biggest insurance companies in North America, found most policy owners are confused about their coverage. It recommends:
Read your policy, highlight what you don't understand and ask your agent to explain.
Learn the difference between comprehensive and collision. You may have both, but do you know what they mean? It's important to understand how each coverage works and the related deductible applies.
Determine appropriate deductibles - the amount you agree to pay out-of-pocket when you make a claim.